Another crossing to Saklikent - this time with local XC man Ali Atarod

I made a good decision today, based on Meteoblue's soundings for Fethiye. I saw that there would be a sharp inversion today after 12pm, but at around 10am there was a good ALR for thermalling. So I was up at 7am - very unusual - and was up at the top of Babadag by 10am or so, going up with Focus. Conditions were looking good. I met Ali Atarod from Iran on the way up - the guy John suggested I meet up with. He lives for flying, and knows this area's XC potential like nobody else. He's been living here for 5 years, and now flies with a Niviuk Artik 2.

My first attempt of a take-off landed me over the edge of the watch tower takeoff zone - down that sharp cliff! Wham - dreadful sink - and I was down. Luckily I stayed perched on the edge like a mountain goat, and was helped up by the guy who was videoing my takeoff (!) and Ali. Then we moved down to the safer takeoff, and - with no other paragliders in sight - took off into a thermal that took us both up like a big escalator to around 3000m - very smooth. I got a few patches of 5-6 ups but mostly 2 ups I think. It was good flying with someone else for once. Ali seemed to want to fly off towards Saklikent with some urgency at one point. I think he shouted 'when you've got a bit more height, go!' or something like that. He was off. I hung around and topped up a bit. The drift was towards Olu Deniz beach, so I decided to pushed off towards Saklikent at around 3020m (I think I could of gained quite a bit more hight) quite far behind Ali. I turned a few times in another thermal towards the end of the Babadag ridge, taking me back up to 3000m. By the time I'd reached Ali in the valley, however, I'd sank a fair bit, and as we glided across the difference seemed to increase. My glide is fast but not good with the glide ratio I've noticed. I just about made it to Saklikent. I had to walk 500m - with some lads who helped me pack my wing - to get to Saklikent where I met up with Ali. So that's two XCs in 3 flights this summer. That's a good ratio. Next stop - Babadag to Kalkan. Ali wants to go to Kas!

4th August: XC from Babadag to Saklikent

Climbed to 3230m from the top takeoff of Babadag. Mostly 2-ups, although my vario registered a 7.5m/sec average over 15 sec. I believe there may have been an inversion around 2,700m which I broke through. Head towards the clearing in the conifers, and got the 4m/sec plus sink that I got the last time I headed in that direction. Found a weak thermal close to Esen (?) where I gained another 300m before changing tack and heading to Saklikent. No thermals across the valley - must have been killed by the sea breeze. Interestingly, I thought I was on a more northerly heading. Nice having a coke and a couple of beers in the tree house cafe when I landed!

Total distance (direct) - 21km.